The Man Who Gave Me Meaning
by ShellyMay
Summary: He abandoned her. Charlotte a fifteen year old runaway has a dark history with The Doctor. What happens when he comes back for her and why can she heal faster than the rest of the human race? And why Captain Jack Harkness inolved in this girl's mysterous and tradgic past?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, I know I was off the grid for a while been busy with family stuff, then I went to America and now school's started back up so I'm re-reading my story and re-writing it too, just wanted to warn you, so starting with Chapter 1. Love you, ShellyMay! Don't forget to review! Please! **

**Doctor Who – The Man Who Gave Me Meaning.**

I sat in the chair at McDonalds, cold hard plastic that hurt my shoulder blades. A happy meal with nuggets and fries sat in front of me, half eaten. I sipped at my coke, bubbles fizzing in the back of my throat and shivered. I was under dressed for the chilling weather that had descended upon the suburb that I was hiding in. I tugged at a thin hair clinging to my purple shorts. I sighed rubbing my arms to try and generate a little more warmth. I don't know how long it had been before I blacked out.

_It was dark, almost pitch black. The only light was from the miniscule screen on my phone, the stars bright and defined spattered across the sky above me. It was almost midnight, almost my fourteenth birthday. That's why we're here in this beautiful darkness, camping for my birthday. Surprisingly my phone had a signal and just as the clock clicked onto midnight Carmina Burana started echoing around camp._

"_Hello?" I asked with the phone about a foot away from my ear, my friends on speaker as the screamed from the other side of the line._

"_Happy Birthday Allonsy!" They all squealed. I smiled at my last name, I'd hated it for most of my life but I had gotten over the childish dislike and appreciated the individuality of it._

"_Thanks guys." I said as my mother came and sat next to me. She handed me two small boxes wrapped in purple paper with black and silver ribbon. "Sorry, I've got to go, love you all."_

"_Happy birthday, honey." She said as she handed me a card._

"_Thanks Mum, love you." I said tearing open the envelope. I took a fifty pound note out and skimmed the card it was the usual. 'To Charlotte, Happy Birthday, Lots of Love Mum Dad and Alexis'. Then carefully ripped the paper off the small boxes I opened the first one it held a gold ring in the shape of a heart with a small ruby in the top right, I brushed my finger tip over the thin cursive __**E. **__"Your ring."_

"_Not mine, it's yours now. Oh, Charlotte I'm so proud of you." She said softly. "Open the other one."_

_I did, inside nestled on purple satin was a silver necklace with intricate swirls and dots. In the middle sat small upside down tear drop shaped mother of pearl._

"_It's beautiful." I whispered._

"_It matches your eyes." My mother told me before standing up. "Don't stay up to late big day tomorrow."_

"_I won't." I told her turning back to look at the sky. I ended up falling asleep next to the camp fire, now wearing the ring and necklace. When I woke up my head was fuzzy and a man in a deep blue or brown suite was standing in front of me yelling at something telling it to leave me alone. I heard my family run out of the tent, I wanted to tell them to stay away to stay out of sight but I couldn't. I could only watch as each was hit with a bright blue-white light and fell to the ground the light in the eyes gone. Just, gone. _

_I couldn't believe it, my family; my whole world had just been killed right in front of me. I was vaguely of being carried by the man in a suit; he smelt like cinnamon, aftershave and strawberry jam. I knew we were in danger but something about this man made me feel safe. I rested my head against his shoulder tears silently running over my pale face. _

"_Gone," I whispered my voice broken. "They're gone."_

"_Shh...It's alright, I've got you. You'll be safe now." He whispered back, panting slightly from sprinting and carrying me._

"_But they're gone." I sobbed into his chest as he patted my back and talked to me in a soothing voice until I fell back asleep. _

_The next morning I woke up screaming, clutching the silver necklace so hard it left an indentation on the skin of my hand._

"Are you okay?" I jumped with surprise, almost knocking my coke over and wiped the sweat off my forehead. Sitting in front of me was a strange man in a blue pinstriped suit, with a brown trench coat slung over the chair next to him. My throat felt dry, like sand paper and my heart was beating rapidly. I sipped the coke and shivered again, crossing my arms and looking at the man with a familiar look in his eyes. It was the same sadness I'd been looking at in my reflection for two years.

"Who are you?" I asked quietly.

He smiled and said "I'm The Doctor."

I groaned and shivered again, I was freezing. "Just what I need, a shrink."

His expression changed so quickly I sat up a little straighter. "I'm not that kind of Doctor."

He said it so seriously and something in his eyes made me think that I was the first person to say I was the crazy one where as he wasn't.

"Alright, why are you talking to me? I mean I am just a fifteen year old run away." I said looking at half eaten meal in front of me.

"Because I made a promise to someone a long time ago and it got broken and that's why you're here." He told me.

What? Was he saying it was his fault that I had run away? But it couldn't be it was Vincent's fault for ruining the one good thing in my life for the past two years. Tears sprang uninvited to me eyes, hot and stinging. I wanted to run away and never come back. Instead I shook my head and kept drinking.

"Oh, what happened to you that I couldn't stop?" He asked handing me his trench coat as he sat next to me.

"Not here." I told him, quietly my voice hoarse and broken. I said slipping into the familiar coat that was about an inch and a half from touching the floor. I was almost six foot tall so it didn't surprise me that even with the length the jacket didn't touch the floor. I had just gotten outside when I realized why the coat was familiar. It smelled like the man who had saved my life on the night of my fourteenth birthday.

I turned a corner, breathing shakily as my hand rested on the wall for support and managed to weakly call out "Doctor."

He turned just as I fainted. I fell through the blackness a robotic voice ringing in my ear. "Exterminate. Exterminate. Exterminate. Exterminate. Exterminate!"

As usual I woke up screaming.

**So that's the first chapter, tell me what you think.**

**Love you,**

**ShellyMay**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys, still in the middle of re-writing. Not that anyone reads it and way Love you, ShellyMay!**

**A couple of things I forgot to mention last time, this is an Alternate Universe with the 10th incarnation of The Doctor (No companions although we might meet them later...) and I wished I owned something this amazing, but I don't!**

**The Man Who Gave Me Meaning, Chapter Two**

When I came to I was lying on cold metal grating, sitting up I immediately cover my ears. The room I was in was shaking and there were small explosions going off everywhere.

"Doctor," I called weakly as tears ran down my cheeks and my head pounded. "My head, it... it hurts."

He stopped running madly around a consol covered with buttons and levers. Quickly walking over he knelt at my side and put a hand on my shoulder. Slowly I uncovered my ears wincing at another loud bang and he said quietly. "Let's get you somewhere quiet."

He stood and offered me his hand which I took gratefully, helping me to stand just as another explosion went off almost making us tumble to the floor.

Slowly we stood up and with no more incidents we made our way over to a corridor. The Doctor lead me about twenty feet down before stoping and quickly opening a dark wood door that had a small name plate which I didn't get time to read.

The room was large and comfortably decorated with different shades of purple mixed in with dark wood. One wall had I large alcove surrounded by glass with a comfortable window seat built in. Over to my right was a fire place next to it was a desk and opposite was a double bed.

I sat on the bed looking at my hands as they lay in my lap. The doctor was Sitting in the desk chair look at me. "It was hard. My first month at the orphanage was horrid, but it wasn't the worst. I simply couldn't accept that they were gone. I hallucinated, had night mares and couldn't eat, they tried to force me but I would just throw up, not purposely my body simply couldn't handle food. Then Valerie came and visited me. We kind of became friends and after a month went by she adopted me, it was great. I was getting better and moving on then about a year ago she met Vincent. He was nice enough and I liked him at first, he wouldn't do a thing to hurt Valerie and went out of his way to make her happy, he still does but his attitude towards me changed a couple of months ago."

"Why?"

"My best friend Calvin needed to look after his little brother and sister for a few days while his mum stayed with his aunt because she had broken her arm. So I stayed at his house, Valerie knew what was going on and so did Vincent but the when I came back Valerie had gone on a work trip for a few days and I was alone with Vincent. That afternoon I was finishing of some homework and he came into my room, said I was a slut because my best friend was a boy and I spent a couple of days at his house. He hit me, so hard I got knocked out. When I woke up I ran back to Calvin's house, didn't go back home until Valerie came home he stopped for a while but then one night about a month ago he came into my room. Valerie was off visiting her family and he kept hitting me it was awful, when I woke up I was in a strange bed. Valerie had come home and found me lying at the bottom of the stairs, my wrist was broken. The thing is I heal extremely quickly. After a week my wrist had healed, I needed to wear a wrist brace until a few days ago but it still healed almost perfectly in such little amount of time."

I curled my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. I had always healed quickly but this was the first time I had told anyone about my ability. The Doctor sat beside me and wrapped a comforting arm around my shoulder. I tried to take another steadying breath but the air caught in my throat and I hiccupped.

"That's why you ran away." The Doctor said, anger staining his voice.

I nodded leaning my head into his shoulder, breathing his safe scent. I was almost asleep when a thought drifted across my mind. "Where are we?"

We're in the TARDIS my ship and my home." He said running a hand through my long brown curls, it was as though the action was calming him not me. "It could be your home too. If you wanted that is."

"Home?" I asked my voice like a small scared child's that's suddenly filled with hope. "I haven't had a home before at least not a real one."

He looked at me and smiled. "Yeah a real home."

I smiled sleepily at him before leaning my head back on his shoulder. That night I fell asleep in his arms has he ran a hand through my hair in a fatherly way. My eyes drifted shut and in the arms of a man that had saved me I felt happy for the first time since that dark and horrible night when my world was ripped apart.

The next morning I woke up vaguely aware of where I was and what happened last night. I sat up noting that I was I lying on the bed with a throw blanket resting over me. I sat up and looked around. My boots were at the foot of the bed and there was a note on the desk from the Doctor.

I smiled slipping out of the bed and walking to a door I hadn't noticed the night before. It was a large bathroom with a wardrobe across from a toilet and glassed in shower. I changed into some slacks, a grey dress shirt and vest, brushed my hair and washed my face. I put on my boots and walked to the door,turning right down the corridor soon coming upon the large room that I'd woken up in last night.

"Doctor." I called loudly, causing him to sit up quickly and bang his head on the consol above his head. "Sorry!"

"It's ok, how are you feeling today?" He said rubbing his forehead lightly_._

"So much better thank you," I said walking across to him. "Where'd the clothes come from, they're perfect?"

"The TARDIS has clothing from every known era and planet in the universe. Also it's a police telephone box from the nineteen sixties on the outside." He said grinning.

"No way!" I exclaimed excitedly. Then saw the doors on the other side of the room. "It's true!"

"Yep now follow me. I made you breakfast." He said walking down the corridor again. "Also I was wondering about your father. Was he your biological dad or did he and your mum meet after you were born?"

"My mother left my biological father years ago. She said he was dangerous and that she'd met him in Cardiff a long, long time ago. That was all she would ever tell me." I said following him.

The Doctor was strangely silent when we went into the kitchen I noticed that the table in the middle of the room with two meals set out and a box wrapped in purple paper.

I turned and looked at the Doctor who smiled and said "Happy Birthday."

**Well there you go!**

**REVIEW PLEASE!**

**I just want to know what you think!**

**Love ShellyMay.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Yep it's me again, Review please! As you know I am re-writing this story as I had a brilliant idea for it a few days ago. Enjoy, love always, ShellyMay.**

The Man Who Gave Me Meaning Chapter 3

I carefully untied the ribbon, opening the paper slowly. Inside the small parcel was an iPhone 4S with charger, and a key on a long silver chain.

"Thank you but what is the key for?" I asked curiously running the chain through my fingers.

"The TARDIS of course and the phone will call anyone anywhere in all of time and space. It will also call the TARDIS in an emergency. You'll find that Valerie's number is also in there." He informed me talking rapidly.

"So who are you?" I asked quietly sipping my coffee.

"I'm the Doctor."

"Not what I meant." I told him a little bit sharply. "Who runs around the whole of time and space in a little, big blue box picking up strange girls along the way? And why do you look so sad?"

He didn't answer me instead he studied my face like he was trying to work out what I was thinking.

"After everything I told you yesterday you're just going to sit there." I said as the cold realisation that he didn't trust me even after everything I told him crushing down on my chest. I stood quickly snatching the present before running to my room. I sat on the window seat taking comfort from the rain pounding my window, it was probably fake but I didn't care.

I held the phone tightly in my hand and took a few deep breathes before dialling Valerie's number.

"Hello?" Her voice sounded sad and hoarse, like she'd been crying.

"Hey Val." I said quietly, ashamed that I had left her with no explanation.

"Charlotte?" She asked stunned.

"Yeah Val, I needed to talk to you tell you what's going on." I said my voice still quiet. "Val, I'm sorry, so sorry but I had to leave. Vincent he was, well he was hitting me when you found me at the bottom of the stairs it was because he'd left me there and it was getting worse…"

"What? Charlotte why didn't you come and tell me?" She asked sounding even more hurt than before.

"Because he's good for _you_." I told her.

"Where are you? I want you home right now."

"I'm fine I'm with my uncle, he was away travelling and only found out about me a short time ago. I'm going to stay with him for now, I'll visit when I can and you can meet him." I spoke quickly now. "I love you Val, you're the closest thing to family I have. Bye."

After hanging up the phone I quickly went to the control room. The Doctor was there, leaning against an odd pillar, he looked over whelmed and very depressed.

"I'm sorry," I held out a hand to him, "I shouldn't have been so demanding, it's your past and you tell me if you ready."

He looked at me for a second and smiled grasping my hand. "Humans, such strange beings."

I straightened at that. "What? You aren't human?"

"I'm a Time Lord."

"A what?" I asked sceptically.

"A Time Lord, a lord of time." He said teasing me.

"Right and what is it that 'Time Lords' do? What's there purpose?" I asked, my voice flooding with sarcasm. Almost immediately his persona changed.

"We watched, observers of space and time above everything and everyone, until the war." He looked so sad so battle worn and tired and he looked so very old.

"What happened?" I asked my voice barely a whisper tears starting to well in my eyes. I had lost everything but he had lost more.

"We lost and now I'm the last one the last of my kind." As he said this he dropped into a creamy brown chair at the console of the TARDIS.

"I never realised, never thought that something so devastating could happen." I told him, "You've lost so much, been through so much more than I have."

As quick as a flash the doctor was standing in front of me tilting my chin up. He quickly put his arms around me protectively.

"Hey now none of that, you shouldn't be crying on your birthday. What kind of person makes you cry on your sixteenth birthday. Besides of course I've been through more than you. I'm nine hundred" He asked unwrapping his arms form around my shoulders.

"So I can choose where and when I want to go?" I asked curiously.

"Yep." He said slipping back into his cheerful attitude with ease.

"Can we please visit Calvin? If Vincent is there I'll be with you so I'll be fine, he wouldn't do anything in front of a witness." I babbled a little at the end.

"Alright visiting Calvin on your sixteenth birthday, brilliant and then I have a surprise trip for you." He said before running around the TARDIS like the mad man he was.

I held on to some nearby hand rails an uneasy feeling settling into my stomach as the TARDIS lurched and shuddered.

Stepping out into pouring rain was one of the best things I would ever know. I had always loved the rain, it was calming. I laughed and stepped out in the street. According to my watch, which the doctor had fixed so it would tell me the year, date and time it was October the seventh, twenty-eleven and ten thirty in the morning. I took a few steps before turning around to see the doctor emerge from behind the bright blue doors of the TARDIS.

"Come on!" I shouted excitedly before spinning and running down the street to Calvin's house. He lived in a large two story place with a comfortable welcoming look to it. I bounded up the front steps onto a small sheltered porch and waited for the doctor.

"Ok so the story is that you're my uncle that was traveling for a while and didn't hear about my parents' death until you got back a few months ago. You spent a few weeks trying to find me once you did you came and asked me to travel with you. Got it?" I asked as he nodded. "Good."

I knocked on the door and after a few seconds heard footsteps. Calvin wrapped me in his arms, a crushing bear hug and I couldn't control the flood of tears that assaulted me.

"Allonsy, I was so worried about you!" He whispered in my hair.

"Cal can't breathe." I said into his chest.

"Oh sorry," he said as he let me go. "Where have you been? You look better and who's he?"

"I've been busy, thank you and this is my uncle um,"

"John Smith and you must be Calvin." The Doctor said saving me from my mind blank, how could I have forgotten a name!

"Good to meet you sir." Cal said extending his hand.

"Please don't bother with the sir." He said.

"We're going to visit Valerie, do you know if Vincent is there? Also grab a coat and hurry up you're coming too." I told him quickly.

"Come in for a minute I have something for you. Also no I don't know but if he ever tries to lay one hand on you again, well let's just say is try is all he'll do." Calvin said before turning around and heading to his room.

"Alright." I said following him into the house, the Doctor trailing along after me.

When we got to his room Calvin went to his bedside draw and took out a rectangular package in golden wrapping paper. It was a framed photo of us taken unknowingly at Valerie's birthday party last year. We had been dancing and suddenly burst out laughing like madmen.

"Calvin, its perfect thank you so much." I said hugging him. "Come on grab a coat, I want to see Val."

**So I am going to leave it there as it's gotten to just over 3 pages long in word... I'm really sad because of the single review I got which was completely pathetic. I can only hope it isn't bad because there aren't any reviews saying it's bad or giving me ideas on how to improve.**

**Love you,**

**ShellyMay**

**XOXOXO**

**P.S. Don't forget to review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi, I know that you're all probably ready to string me up by the ears for taking SOOO long with this chapter but I have been very busy performing in a play for my theatre studies class and I promise to get back on track with my writing... Anyway as always I hope you enjoy this story. Please review and give me feedback on how to make it better.**

** The Man Who Gave Me Meaning Chapter 4**

I took the long way to Valerie's house, partially because I wanted Calvin to catch up but mainly because I was dreading the thought of seeing the man that had almost killed me. As we closed the distance between us and my corrupt safe haven I felt sicker and sicker. My stomach churned so much I felt like I was going to throw up, my breath grew quick and shallow and a cold sweat broke out on my forehead and down my back.

Silently I held out my hand and after a few seconds the Doctor wrapped his warm hand around mine, giving me the strength I would need to face the coming situation. I would have smiled when he whispered his words of support had the churning in my not reached what seemed to be a crescendo.

My heart stopped as I heard a fast sequence of splashes. I wanted to bolt but my boots seemed stuck to the mud. What if it was Vince coming to kill me, or worse what if Valerie had told him about the Doctor and my plan to live with him and he was coming to hurt the man that saved me?

"It's just Calvin. Breathe; I'm right here I won't let him hurt you again." He slowly tugged on my hand until I was walking beside him.

"Hey sorry Allonsy," Calvin said as he fell in step with the Doctor and I. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's fine I guess I'm a little paranoid here." I told him quietly.

My heart seemed to have relocated to my throat as we approached the red front door. Dreading seeing him again, it would be inevitable Vincent's car announced the fact that he was here. I took extra care getting the mud off my boots.

My hand shook violently as I knocked on the door. Almost immediately the door was thrown open and I was engulfed in a bear hug. I made sure that my hand remained tightly wound with the Doctor's as I let Valerie blubber all over me.

After about five minutes of incoherent mumbling and random hiccups I lead her through the house to the huge lounge room. I had chosen this room because of the large folding doors that lead to a large veranda that wrapped right around the house. Gently I unwrapped her arms from around my shoulders and went to stand next to the Doctor.

"Valerie, firstly I would like you to meet my Uncle. Uncle John this is Valerie, the woman who saved me from that terrible orphanage. Valerie this is Uncle John, he's been traveling and only recently found out about my parents deaths." I sighed as I took in her appearance for the first time in weeks. She was thinner, her face pale and drawn with red puffy eyes and a leaky nose. Basically she had been wrecked when I had run away. "Valerie, I'm going to go and live with him for a while."

"No you're not. You are going to stay right here where I can see you." She said sounding sure and demanding that I wouldn't leave again.

"Oh Val, I can't do that." I told her as I took hold of the Doctor's hand once again.

"Why Charlotte, don't you know how worried I've been, especially when I got your phone last week?" She practically leapt of the couch and began pacing.

Ignoring her comment about the phone call 'last week' I simply said. "I can't live here, not with Vincent."

"What's this got to do with Vincent? He's been so worried and he saved your life when you had the stairs accident!" She yelled at me. Taken back I shrank into the Doctor's side for comfort.

"Doctor, please tell her." I whimpered, "She won't listen to me. Not when he's here."

"Valerie, please, Charlotte is a scared little girl that bad things have happened to." He spoke up, wrapping a warm comforting arm around my shoulders in a protective gesture. "She needs trust and support more than ever and if you won't give her yours she will always have mine."

Valerie stood there opening and closing her mouth like a fish in mute shock for a minute before speaking very coolly. "Don't you dare talk to me about trust and support John, whatever your name is. I have been there for this girl for years, I took her into my home, became responsible for her wellbeing, provided everything she needed and more and I care about her as if she were my own!"

"Then why do you put her word below that of your 'boyfriend'?" He shouted in disgust.

"Because the word of her 'boyfriend' is more reliable than that of the little, ungrateful, brat that she charitably took into her home."

My heart stopped in my chest as my lugs froze and I became a statue in the Doctor's embrace. Calvin came to stand in front of me as my vision clouded over to a deep black and my knees buckled under me.

**So my darlings, I will leave you here with this snippet and if you are all very good I will update again soon. I will how ever tell you that I was going to include the full confrontation in this chapter but after much consideration decided it would be better with the suspense if I left it out.**

**Love you guys five ever, please review so I can become a better author and improve my works for your enjoyment. **

**ShellyMay 3**


	5. Chapter 5

**Oh hi guys, me again! So I got a little delayed with this chapter, I just started to type it when my dogs got out and I had to go and catch them and then when I had to go out to visit my dad. I also must say that I will try to keep this to one chapter but with everything that needs to happen I may have to extend it over two chapters….**

**Love you guys,**

**ShellyMay**

** The Man Who Gave Me Meaning Chapter 5**

As the world came back into focus I was painfully aware of The Doctor's absence from my side. Instead Calvin's face hovered a few inches above mine and I could see unshed tears glistening in his eyes.

"Hey you're okay; he isn't going to hurt you. Just rest and get your strength back for a minute." He said softly when I mouthed Vincent's name. He brushed some hair out of my eyes as I slowly sat up and looked around my old room, a tear escaped down my cheek but I wiped it away harshly.

"Where's the Doctor?" I asked standing up and going to my wardrobe.

"Talking with Valerie and Vincent about your living arrangements." Calvin said a curious note in my voice as he looked over my shoulder at what I was doing. Kneeling down on the floor I ran my hand over the floor boards until I found the little hole in one of the planks of wood and lifted the loose one up uncovering a six by twelve inch box with intricately carved circular designs over the lid. I opened it and quickly checked that it was safe and its contents unscathed, satisfied I shut it again and stuffed it into a messenger bag from the back of the closet and rose to my feet.

At that moment I heard yelling a bang of something being knocked over and the sound of shattering glass. I gasped and ran for the stairs taking them two at a time. When I got to the lounge room I saw the Doctor standing to the side holding a hanky to his lip as Valerie did her best to calm Vincent. Looking around the rest of the room I took in the sight of the smashed mirror and lamp lying on its side.

Anger took over my fear and I found myself standing straighter as I walked to the middle of the room standing in between the Doctor and Vincent. "What did you do to him you monster? Is it not bad enough that you ruined the only happiness in life that I have had in years now you attack those who take care of me?"

"How dare you, you little worm, I'll teach you how to talk to your superiors!" Vincent shouted advancing towards me and knocking Val over as he did so. I however was ready for the wild swing he sent my way and ducked out of the way before he could make contact. I backed into the wall, my fear returning with his anger.

Suddenly the Doctor stepped in front of me tensed and waiting. Acting as a shield, I almost screamed when he raised his fist and hit Vincent square on the chin. I did scream though when Vincent simply pushed the Doctor away to land on the floor with a thump, raised his own fist and brought it down on my face with a sickening crunch. I brought my hand up to a warm flow of ruby red blood.

He was about to strike me again when I shoved my knee into his groin, flooring him. Turning I shouted at Valerie my voice distorted from my broken nose. "Now you see, he's been lying to you Val. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

With that said I turned and helped the Doctor to his feet bolted to the stairway found Calvin and we ran back to the TARDIS and away from the man that had ruined my second chance at happiness.

We got inside and I sat down on the floor near the console as the Doctor fiddled and played with the controls and Calvin just stood half way up the ramp gapping like a fish.

"It's bigger on the inside!" He laughed incredulously as he looked madly around the control room. I smiled softly, my nosing twinging with a small amount of pain as my quick healing kick started. Looking back down I took out the wooden box that held all of my dearest treasures. Slowly I traced my fingers over the delicate cravings feeling comforted by the warm wooden texture.

"What?" I looked up to see fear and surprise in the Doctor's eyes as he examined the pattern. "Charlotte, this is incredibly important. I need to know where you got it and if you have anything else like it."

"It belonged to my father, my biological father not my stepfather. My mother left it to me in her will, along with a letter explaining a small amount of information as to how she came across it. I keep all of my most important belongings in it including a silver fob watch, also belonging to my biological father with the same type of pattern engraved into it." I told him worried over the amount of panic it seemed to have caused him. "I was never told his name, only that he was a Captain."

"Can I see the watch, please?" He asked, I handed it to him and watched as he shoved on a pair of glasses to inspect it closely, a crease in his brow as he frowned at it. I jumped when he handed it back took his glasses back off and smacked his hand to his forehead shouting. "Of course, before your mother met your stepfather, did she live in Cardiff?"

"How did you know? She said she never wanted me to go back there." I said hanging the watch with my key to the TARDIS and standing to join him.

"I know who your father is, and he's alive!" He said joyfully before he started running around the controls.

"What?" I shouted as I held onto a hand rail, motioning Calvin to do the same before a violent shudder ran through the TARDIS.

When it stilled the Doctor ran down the ramp and out the door shouting "Come on Allonsy, we have people to meet!"

"Come on Calvin! We'd better get this over with." I took his hand and dragged him outside to wear the Doctor was standing with a handsome middle aged man. As I approached them slowly the stranger looked at me and flashed me a brilliant and very familiar smile, his bright blue eyes twinkling.

"Hello, the name's Captain Jack Harkness. Who might you be and what happened to your nose?" He asked offering his hand to me.

"Hi Captain, I'm Charlotte and my nose was broken an hour or two ago." I said flashing him my own smile and accepting his hand.

"An hour or two? Impossible, it's perfectly fine just covered in blood." He said disbelieving.

"I heal very quickly; the Doctor says it has something to do with my father." I told him matter of factly. "This probably seems very silly to ask but can you please tell me if you knew an Elise Allonsy."

"I did, I used to work with her and I loved her dearly, why do you ask?" He said genuinely confused by my question.

A tears spilt from my eyes as I lauched myself at him and wrapped my arms firmly around his waist. "She was my mother."

**I'm going to leave it there. It's two in the morning and I have school tomorrow… I really enjoyed writing this chapter and hope you have enjoyed reading it. Please review, much love**

**ShellyMay**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi so, yet another update from me… I don't know what's gotten into me I just can't stop typing! I hope you enjoy this chappie and don't forget to review! Much love, ShellyMay…**

**The Man Who Gave Me Meaning Chapter 6**

"I can't believe it. My father, my real father! I'm not on my own anymore!" I said so joyful I could barely sit still long enough for Jack to look at my nose. This basically meant clean the blood off my face and marvel over the fact he had a daughter.

"I can't believe your mother never told me about you." He said finished with cleaning my nose and was instead just wiping the tears away from my eyes. "You don't look much like her do you?"

It was true; my mother had been petite and fair. I was much taller with very long brown hair and blue eyes that matched my newly found father's. "I suppose not, I guess that means that I look more like you."

He laughed at that, oh he was laughing so hard and when he stopped he had small unshed tears in his eyes and a genuinely happy smile painted all over his face. I jumped when a large cog door that I hadn't noticed open with a loud noise and a handsome man in his twenties walked into the 'hub', I think that was what Jack had called it.

"Jones, Ianto Jones! I have someone I would like you to meet." Jack called out as the man started to go over to a neatly organized desk. "Well, a couple of somebodies but the other two don't matter as much as the first."

"Yes sir." Ianto said very stiffly looking suddenly uncomfortable with the number of new faces. I watched silently as he approached taking in his full appearance and remarking that he was dressed extremely nicely for such a place as Torchwood. The Doctor and Jack had explained a little about the institute when we were coming down what Jack called the scenic route.

"Charlotte, this is Ianto. My best employee, he makes the best coffee and he looks good in a suit." The tone in which Jack said this was overly flirtatious and successfully made the man standing in front of me blush. "Ianto, this is Charlotte, I just found out that she is my daughter."

"It's very nice to meet you Charlotte, I'm sorry to be blunt but this is very unexpected and I must say, you seem to have just popped up out of nowhere and walked into our lives. Well what I'm trying to ask is where have you been all this time?"

"My mum took me away straight after I was born, I only just found out who my father really was. She would never tell me his name, said he was dangerous and that I was to stay away from him if I had any common sense." I told him as we shook hands.

"Sounds about right," He said smiling softly. "Would you like anything, a cup of tea or a coffee?"

"Well, could I please have a hot chocolate, if it isn't any trouble though?" I replied suddenly feeling very shy.

"Of course it isn't. Can I get anyone else anything? Captain, the usual and what about you Doctor?"

"Oh a cup of tea if you wouldn't mind, Calvin how about you?" The Doctor asked brushing a hand through his hair uneasily.

Calvin jumped so violently at the sound of his name that he fell off the chair he had been perched on. He'd been so engrossed in staring around the underground facility that he had forgotten all about us.

"What, Ouch?" he said as he fell to the concrete floor in a heap.

"Would you like anything to drink?" Ianto said once we'd finished laughing.

"A cup of tea please." Calvin said still beet red as he came to stand near me.

"Smooth." I whispered when he was close enough to hear me. That set the two of us off laughing all over again and my ribs were hurting as small tears gathered in my eyes.

"So Charlotte, can you tell me more about yourself?" Jack asked once we were all seated around the coffee table with our drinks in hand.

"Sure but can we go somewhere a bit more private." I asked, "There's a lot that you need to know that I can tell just anyone."

"Of course we can, how about we go to my office?" He said comfortingly standing up and offering me his hand. It was warm and large as it wrapped strongly around my small hand.

"Yes please." I said standing to walk with him. Once in the office I sat in his chair as he stood by the door. "Where should I start?"

"Why don't you tell me how you met the Doctor?" He said simply.

"Oh, alright," I said. "That was the night my mother died. It was my fourteenth birthday and we'd gone camping. Alexis and I were staying in one tent and mum and dad, um, Christian in another. I was sitting by the camp fire looking at the sky, oh the stars were glorious. After a while I fell asleep, it was just so peaceful and then I woke up and there was this tall thin man in a blue suit shouting at things flying in the sky. The others ran out of their tents, oh I wish they hadn't. I was forced to watch them die. I went into shock then when I next came to the man was carrying me and running away. He took me to an orphanage and left me there so the people there could help me, he didn't know that I had watched my family die."

"Oh Charlotte, if I'd known." Jack had been pacing as I told this part of the story but now he stopped to kneel next to the chair I was in. He brushed some hair away from my face.

**Leaving it there, more on her story later. Please review love ya, ShellyMay.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey, it's been a while. I've been busy and all that usual crap but I also had a really good idea for a new story. It's called Transferred and it basically about a fangirl (yes I'm the fangirl) getting transferred into her favourite show Doctor Who and being unable to go back home… Anyway, I don't really have a plan for this chapter it will probably be more Jack and Charlotte getting to know each other. Please remember to review! Love ya, ShellyMay...**

The Man Who Gave Me Meaning Chapter 7

"Oh Charlotte, if I'd known." Jack had been pacing as I told this part of the story but now he stopped to kneel next to the chair I was in. He brushed some hair away from my face.

"You couldn't have, my mother made sure of that and part of me hates her for that." I told him honestly. "Anyway, after months of denial at the orphanage a lady came to see me. She was very nice her name is Valerie, you would have liked her. She helped me move on, to live with the memory of watching my family die. She supported me and when the orphanage finally deemed me fit, she adopted me."

"What happened?" He asked leaning on the desk and sipping his drink.

"Well after a little while she met someone, Vincent. They started dating and after a few months he proposed. They're engaged now, he's been really good for her but he started abusing me about a month ago. It was because I had stayed the night at Calvin's house to help him babysit his little brother and sister whilst his mum was out of town. Vincent assumed that we had done 'stuff' and started beating me for it. I ran away after he pushed me down the stairs and Valerie wouldn't believe me when I told her everything that had happened. That's when the Doctor found me and brought me here to you, my real dad."

Jack had gotten angry as I talked about my abusive history but he was holding it back. I think he knew that it wouldn't help me spill my guts. "I have something else to tell you but need to ask you some things first."

"Go ahead." He said loosening his grip on his coffee mug and taking a deep breath.

"Is there anything special about you? Like healing and stuff…" I said looking at my hands, it was something I didn't tell anyone; my mother had made me swear to never tell people. Telling the Doctor had been absolutely necessary and Valerie had figured it out when she found me with a broken arm and it had healed completely a little over a week later.

He looked surprised by my question but answered anyway. "The Doctor didn't tell you? I can't die, at least not permanently. Why do you ask?"

"I have accelerated healing. Vincent broke my arm over a month ago; it healed perfectly, no cast, in less than two weeks." I told him quickly, afraid that if I didn't tell him now I'd never be able to.

"That's strange, very strange. I need you to know that I have lived for a very long time and I did love your mother very much but I have another daughter. Her name is Alice and she is in her late forties. She doesn't have the ability to heal; she's completely normal and one hundred percent human."

"What does that make me?" I said, slightly panicked at the idea that I wasn't actually human.

"I don't know, I'd have to run some tests to find out but that's up to you. The other possibility is that there was a spike in rift activity when you were being conceived." He told me.

I blushed when I realized what he was saying. Yeah, yeah I know, but it's awkward enough when parents talk to you about sex little own when you've only known them for a few hours and there talking about your status as a human being. "Um I'd rather not be tested, for a little while at least. I'd just, feel like a lab rat, maybe if we give it some time."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." He agreed and brushed his hand over my cheek. "I can't believe you're real."

"I can't believe I'm not alone anymore, I have family." I told him as tears burnt my eyes but didn't fall.

"You'll never be alone again if I can help it." He whispered as I flung my arms around his waist and he clutched me to his torso. I buried my face in his coat and a very pleasant smell drifted into my nose.

"Tell me some of the simple things." He told me after we had both gotten a hold on our emotions.

"What do you want to know?" I asked sipping from my mug.

"The basics, you know birthday, favourite colour, movie and music. What do you want to be when you grow up?" He said an exited gleam entering his eyes.

"Oh, that stuff. Um what's the date? I don't know how far the Doctor travelled when bringing us here." I asked him.

"Oh umm, it's the 24th of August, 2012." He informed me looking confused.

"I'm sixteen, today is my birthday and I just got given the best gift in the world." I told him grinning.

"Really, happy birthday, what was the gift?" He asked looking shocked that it happened to be the exact date for my birthday.

"My father silly," I laughed. "As for the other questions, I love the colour purple, my favourite movie and music those are harder. I like Disney but I'd have to say Beauty and the Beast is my personal favourite. I like so many different types of music that I don't think I'd ever have a favourite, at the moment I really like the song Anything Goes from the musical of the same title. As for what I want to be, anything to do with art or the arts. I love drawing, painting, singing and performance."

"Sounds very nice," He told me. "I have to go and talk to Ianto about something and then I'd like you to meet the rest of my team, I'm sure you're wondering what Torchwood and the Rift are.

"Alright, I should probably go see how Calvin's doing." I said getting up and hugging him again, just to make sure he was actually real and I hadn't just dreamed him up.

I let go and walked to the door with him following behind me. As we got to where the others were sitting and just chatting about nothing in particular Ianto stood and asked "Does anyone want a refill?"

"Yes please." I said smiling as he took my mug and he and Jack went into the kitchen. I then went and sat next to Calvin and asked, "How are you handling this?"

"Okay I guess," He said just staring at me. "It's a lot to take in. What about you? You have a dad and I can see that he's already wrapped around your little finger…"

"I don't believe he's real." I said.

"I've been talking with the Doctor, he said I could come and travel with you." Calvin said eyes glued to the floor.

"Yeah?"

"I can't my mum and brother and sister need me. I know about the time travel part but I have to think about how dangerous it is and I'm not ready to leave home. The Doctor will take me back when we're finished up here.

"Oh, alright." I said as I locked eyes with him, his bright green eyes screaming apology. "It's okay, I understand. You want and need you family, besides Miles and Rachel need their Cally."

He grinned at the name that was given to him by Rachel when she was a baby and couldn't pronounce his name. I laughed for a long time, I hadn't been so happy since before my family died and now, I had a new family and my biological father.

Jack came back in with Ianto and some other people and handed me my mug. "Charlotte, I'd like you to meet the rest of my team. You already know Ianto. Here we have Dr Owen Harper our medic." The man in question nodded at me. "Toshiko Sato, computer and technology genius and finally Gwen Cooper, our police liaison."

"Nice to meet you all." I replied a grin spreading across my face as they shuffled in and sat down.

Owen grimaced a little and said, "Oh god, she has his grin, tea-boy."

I think he was talking to Ianto but I'm not sure, Jack just laughed and sipped his drink.

Some sort of alarm rang out and Ianto left telling he'd return shortly. I looked at Jack questionably. "He's gone to get the pizzas."

"Um, okay." We went back to idle chatter as we all waited for Ianto to come back. I really liked Tosh and Owen; they were really funny and nice. Gwen was alright but she was very full of herself and liked flirting with Jack even though it was really obvious he and Ianto were either very close to having something or were already in a relationship of sorts. After a particulally funny retelling of one of torchwood's many crazy adventures, something about a blowfish driving a sports car Ianto came in carrying multiple cardboard boxes. He set them down on the table and took the top one into the kitchen then came back so we could all eat dinner.

One all of the pizza had been consumed Ianto went back to the kitchen and brought the contents of the other cardboard box out. It was a cake! They had gotten me a cake. It was done in dark purple icing with black floral piping and the words _'Happy Birthday Charlotte, I love you, Jack'_

Tears were streaming down my face as they lit some candles. I jumped up and practically crushed Jack. "Thank you, Dad."

**Well I'm very happy with this, I hope you guys are too. I don't know when I'll update again, I'm going to have to figure some plot things out with the whole, does she stay at Torchwood or travel with the Doctor… If you have any ideas please let me know! Love, ShellyMay.**


End file.
